The research supporting the evolution of human emotion.

The presence of human emotions is universal and characterizes human behavior and interactions. We are not alone in possessing emotional traits as comparative research shows the presence of emotions in our primate cousins. Apes for example display well-defined emotional reactions including fear and anger (de Waal, 2003). Since humans and apes have shared these emotions with our primate ancestors the traits have probably evolved in response to adaptive pressures. Emotions provide context to our lives and create subjective feelings that help evaluate events or our social interaction. Depending on interpretation emotions are stimuli preparing us to take some action toward people or events. We can know when a person is emotionally affected by the tone of his voice or facial contractions. Facial responses can be universally identified and categorized as to specific emotions. Emotions also produce physiological changes as the affected individual react with faster heart rates and breathing in preparation to deal with flight or fight responses.

Unlike our primate cousins however humans have the capacity of self-reflection. For example negative self-evaluations may produce embarrassment, shame and even guilt. With unique cognitive representations of the self as an intentional and responsible agent, humans also display morally related emotions including disgust and contempt (Haidt, 2001). Although some animals can display disgust as related to food or aversive stimuli, only humans have the capacity for interpersonal disgust as we evaluate the moral behavior of others (Gottman & Levenson, 2002). Human emotions are essentially neurophysiologic events evolved over the deep history of our species, and as discussed above are universal and represented in every society.

Date: 2015-01-11; view: 754